The present invention relates to a device permitting the conveying of flat elements, in particular through a module of a processing machine. The invention applies particularly advantageously, but not exclusively, to the field of manufacturing cardboard packaging boxes.
In the packaging industry, the manufacture of foldable boxes is traditionally carried out on a production line, by folding and gluing blanks by means of a folding-gluing machine. Such a processing machine is generally in the form of a succession of modules in which various functional arrangements are distributed, and is designed to carry out the many basic operations required for making the boxes. Each module has its own system for conveying the blanks, but the assembly is arranged so that ultimately, the conveying is carried out continuously over the entire length of the folding-gluing machine.
Among conveying systems known from the prior art, conveyor belts have proved to be particularly well suited to folding-gluing machines. This type of conveying device in broad outline comprises an endless belt which is able to be driven to travel about a plurality of guide members. The guide members essentially include deflecting elements which define the path followed by the belt, as well as bearing elements which serve as a support for the belt in the area where the conveying actually takes place, i.e. along the conveying path of the blanks.